Net force

1
Net force
For other uses, see Net force (disambiguation).
In physics, net force is the overall force acting on an object. In order to calculate the net force, the body is isolated
and interactions with the environment or constraints are introduced as forces and torques forming a free-body
diagram.
The net force does not have the same effect on the movement of the object as the original system forces, unless the
point of application of the net force and an associated torque are determined so that they form the resultant force and
torque. It is always possible to determine the torque associated with a point of application of a net force so that it
maintains the movement of the object under the original system of forces.
With its associated torque, the net force becomes the resultant force and has the same effect on the rotational motion
of the object as all actual forces taken together.
[1]
It is possible for a system of forces to define a torque-free resultant
force. In this case, the net force when applied at the proper line of action has the same effect on the body as all of the
forces at their points of application. It is not always possible to find a torque-free resultant force.
Total force
The sum of forces acting on a particle is called the total force or the net force. The net force is a single force that
replaces the effect of the original forces on the particle's motion. It gives the particle the same acceleration as all
those actual forces together as described by the Newton's second law of motion.
Another method for diagramming addition of forces
Force is a vector quantity, which
means that it has a magnitude and a
direction, and it is usually denoted
using boldface such as F or by using
an arrow over the symbol, such as .
Graphically a force is represented as
line segment from its point of
application A to a point B which
defines its direction and magnitude.
The length of the segment AB
represents the magnitude of the force.
Vector calculus was developed in the
late 1800s and early 1900s, however, the parallelogram rule for addition of forces is said to date from the ancient
times, and it is explicitly noted by Galileo and Newton.
[2]
The diagram shows the addition of the forces and . The sum of the two forces is drawn as the diagonal of a
parallelogram defined by the two forces.
Forces applied to an extended body can have different points of application. Forces are bound vectors and can be
added only if they are applied at the same point. The net force obtained from all the forces acting on a body will not
preserve its motion unless they are applied at the same point and the appropriate torque associated with the new point
of application is determined. The net force on a body applied at a single point with the appropriate torque is known
as the resultant force and torque.
Net force
2
Parallelogram rule for the addition of forces
A force is known as a bound vector which means it has a direction and
magnitude and a point of application. A convenient way to define a
force is by a line segment from a point A to a point B. If we denote the
coordinates of these points as A=(A
x
, A
y
, A
z
) and B=(B
x
, B
y
, B
z
), then
the force vector applied at A is given by
The length of the vector B-A defines the magnitude of F, and is given
by
The sum of two forces F
1
and F
2
applied at A can be computed from the sum of the segments that define them. Let
F
1
=B-A and F
2
=D-A, then the sum of these two vectors is
which can be written as
where E is the midpoint of the segment BD that joins the points B and D.
Thus, the sum of the forces F
1
and F
2
is twice the segment joining A to the midpoint E of the segment joining the
endpoints B and D of the two forces. The doubling of this length is easily achieved by defining a segments BC and
DC parallel to AD and AB, respectively, to complete the parallelogram ABCD. The diagonal AC of this
parallelogram is the sum of the two force vectors. This is known as the parallelogram rule for the addition of forces.
Translation and rotation due to a force
Point forces
When a force acts on a particle, it is applied to a single point (the particle volume is negligible): this is a point force
and the particle is its application point. But an external force on an extended body (object) can be applied to a
number of its constituent particles, i.e. can be "spread" over some volume or surface of the body. However, in order
to determine its rotational effect on the body, it is necessary to specify its point of application (actually, the line of
application, as explained below). The problem is usually resolved in the following ways:
Often the volume or surface on which the force acts is relatively small compared to the size of the body, so that it
can be approximated by a point. It is usually not difficult to determine whether the error caused by such
approximation is acceptable.
If it is not acceptable (obviously e.g. in the case of gravitational force), such "volume/surface" force should be
described as a system of forces (components), each acting on a single particle, and then the calculation should be
done for each of them separately. Such a calculation is typically simplified by the use of differential elements of
the body volume/surface, and the integral calculus. In a number of cases, though, it can be shown that such a
system of forces may be replaced by a single point force without the actual calculation (as in the case of uniform
gravitational force).
In any case, the analysis of the rigid body motion begins with the point force model. And when a force acting on a
body is shown graphically, the oriented line segment representing the force is usually drawn so as to "begin" (or
"end") at the application point.
Net force
3
Rigid bodies
How a force accelerates a body
In the example shown on the diagram, a
single force acts at the application point
H on a free rigid body. The body has the
mass and its center of mass is the point
C. In the constant mass approximation, the
force causes changes in the body motion
described by the following expressions:
is the center of mass
acceleration; and
is the angular acceleration
of the body.
In the second expression, is the torque or
moment of force, whereas is the moment
of inertia of the body. A torque caused by a
force is a vector quantity defined with respect to some reference point:
is the torque vector, and
is the amount of torque.
The vector is the position vector of the force application point, and in this example it is drawn from the center of
mass as the reference point (see diagram). The straight line segment is the lever arm of the force with respect to
the center of mass. As the illustration suggests, the torque does not change (the same lever arm) if the application
point is moved along the line of the application of the force (dotted black line). More formally, this follows from the
properties of the vector product, and shows that rotational effect of the force depends only on the position of its line
of application, and not on the particular choice of the point of application along that line.
The torque vector is perpendicular to the plane defined by the force and the vector , and in this example it is
directed towards the observer; the angular acceleration vector has the same direction. The right hand rule relates this
direction to the clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation in the plane of the drawing.
The moment of inertia is calculated with respect to the axis through the center of mass that is parallel with the
torque. If the body shown in the illustration is a homogeneous disc, this moment of inertia is . If the disc
has the mass 0,5kg and the radius 0,8 m, the moment of inertia is 0,16 kgm
2
. If the amount of force is 2 N, and the
lever arm 0,6 m, the amount of torque is 1,2 Nm. At the instant shown, the force gives to the disc the angular
acceleration = /I = 7,5 rad/s
2
, and to its center of mass it gives the linear acceleration a = F/m = 4m/s
2
.
Net force
4
Resultant force
Graphical placing of the resultant force
Resultant force and torque replaces the
effects of a system of forces acting on
the movement of a rigid body. An
interesting special case is a torque-free
resultant which can be found as
follows:
1. 1. First, vector addition is used to find
the net force;
2. 2. Then use the equation to determine
the point of application with zero
torque:
where is the net force, locates its application point, and individual forces are with application points . It
may be that there is no point of application that yields a torque-free resultant.
The diagram illustrates simple graphical methods for finding the line of application of the resultant force of simple
planar systems.
1. Lines of application of the actual forces and on the leftmost illustration intersect. After vector addition is
performed "at the location of ", the net force obtained is translated so that its line of application passes through
the common intersection point. With respect to that point all torques are zero, so the torque of the resultant force
is equal to the sum of the torques of the actual forces.
2. Illustration in the middle of the diagram shows two parallel actual forces. After vector addition "at the location of
", the net force is translated to the appropriate line of application, where it becomes the resultant force .
The procedure is based on decomposition of all forces into components for which the lines of application (pale
dotted lines) intersect at one point (the so-called pole, arbitrarily set at the right side of the illustration). Then the
arguments from the previous case are applied to the forces and their components to demonstrate the torque
relationships.
3. The rightmost illustration shows a couple, two equal but opposite forces for which the amount of the net force is
zero, but they produce the net torque where is the distance between their lines of application. This is
"pure" torque, since there is no resultant force.
Usage
Vector diagram for addition of non-parallel forces
Generally, a system of forces acting on a rigid
body can always be replaced by one force plus
one "pure" torque. The force is the net force, but
in order to calculate the additional torque, the net
force must be assigned the line of action. The
line of action can be selected arbitrarily, but the
additional "pure" torque will depend on this
choice. In a special case it is possible to find
such line of action that this additional torque is
zero.
Net force
5
The resultant force and torque can be determined for any configuration of forces. However, an interesting special
case is a torque-free resultant which it is useful both conceptually and practically, because the body moves without
rotating as if it was a particle.
Some authors do not distinguish the resultant force from the net force and use the terms as synonyms.
[3]
References
[1] [1] Symon, Keith R. (1964), Mechanics, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 60-5164
[2] [2] Michael J. Crowe (1967). A History of Vector Analysis : The Evolution of the Idea of a Vectorial System. Dover Publications; Reprint
edition. ISBN 0-486-67910-1
[3] [3] Resnick, Robert and Halliday, David (1966), Physics, (Vol I and II, Combined edition), Wiley International Edition, Library of Congress
Catalog Card No. 66-11527
Article Sources and Contributors
6
Article Sources and Contributors
Net force Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=604319709 Contributors: 5 albert square, Alex Huck, Anastrophe, Arthena, Astro123456, Bearcat, Bgwhite, BiT, Bongwarrior,
Brews ohare, ChrisGualtieri, Chuunen Baka, DReifGalaxyM31, Darkwind, Discospinster, Download, Dreadstar, Ducknish, Evil saltine, Gbleem, Grayfell, Hazmat2, Hm29168, Hotcrocodile,
Huon, Icairns, Ilevanat, Incnis Mrsi, J.delanoy, J36miles, Jellyjellyjellybear, Jwchong, Kenoguy123, Ketiltrout, Kri, Kyng, L Kensington, Life of Riley, Lkopeter, Maddiegraham345, Malcolma,
Mediran, Melamed katz, Melchoir, Merovingian, MikeSchmit, MilosIvanovic, Mrwojo, Myasuda, Navyseals1209850, Nishkid64, Nivix, Nothingofwater, OllieFury, Oxymoron83, Pajz, Paolo.dL,
Para, Patrick, Patriot8790, Paul August, PaulTanenbaum, Pb30, Pdcook, Piano non troppo, Pip2andahalf, Prof McCarthy, R'n'B, Rami radwan, RandomStringOfCharacters, Raul654,
Saippuakauppias, SchreiberBike, ShakataGaNai, Signalhead, Silly rabbit, SkeletorUK, Snowolf, Sonett72, Ssd, Staka, The Thing That Should Not Be, Thingg, Thurth, Tiddly Tom, Tkgd2007,
Tom.Reding, Uhggnnn, Usb10, Vanished user 39948282, Vanished user 3dk2049pot4, Werdan7, WestwoodMatt, Wknight94, Yaris678, 194 anonymous edits
Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors
Image:Addition of forces.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Addition_of_forces.JPG License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Ilevanat
File:Parallelogram1.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Parallelogram1.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Original uploader was RisenAge at en.wikipedia
File:Free body acceleration.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Free_body_acceleration.JPG License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
Ilevanat
File:Rezultanta.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Rezultanta.JPG License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Contributors: Ilevanat
Image:Non-parallel net force.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Non-parallel_net_force.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
User:Hazmat2
License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/